Advent Word 2023 ‘Spirit’ 聖靈

#AdventWord #Spirit #聖靈 ‘The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me…’ Isaiah 61:1 ‘The Gospel of Luke presents the Advent narrative in such a way that even before Jesus’s birth, the Spirit is already a main character. God’s Holy Spirit helps prepare the way for Jesus’s birth (Luke 1:35) and inspires those around Jesus with understanding and the gift of prophecy (Luke 1:41-55, 67-79; Luke 2:25-32, 36-38). What if our only task during Advent is to look for signs of God’s Holy Spirit? We may not experience dramatic angelic visitations like Zachariah, Mary, … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Spirit’ 聖靈

Advent Word 2023 ‘Begin’ 開始

#AdventWord #Begin #開始 ‘…as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.’ ‘It feels odd to talk about resolutions in the middle of December. Surely those can wait for the beginning of the year–after we have had parties, Christmas dinners, and stockings filled with treats. Yes, new beginnings are best kept for the hangover of January. But what if we made Advent resolutions? What if we looked at Advent as a time to begin? Not only repent from doing evil but begin doing good this Advent. Begin to pray, read scripture, worship, sing praises. Begin. … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Begin’ 開始

Advent Word 2023 ‘Hasten’ 催促

#AdventWord #Hasten #催促 ‘…what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…’ 2 Peter 3:12 ‘As a parent of small children, my whole life feels like either hurrying or waiting. Hurrying to church or school. Waiting as my kid, determined to practice his new skill, very slowly zips up his own coat. Alas, I’ve discovered that no amount of anxious energy will hasten my kids out the door any faster. Advent is a chance for me to practice waiting and hastening at the … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Hasten’ 催促

Advent Word 2023 ‘Patience’ 耐心

#AdventWord #Patience #耐心 ‘…regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.’ 2 Peter 3:15 ‘My daughter Kaia signed up for a pottery class as a graduate student studying to be a landscape architect. After working at her school’s studio all day, she loves to go to the pottery studio to process clay and finds herself drawn to hand-building more than creating on the wheel. In a world that caters to our impatience, she finds pottery to be her way to practice patience. There’s no rushing the process in pottery. When you do, you get cracks, bubbles, and broken vessels. When … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Patience’ 耐心

Advent Word 2023 ‘Truth’ 真理

#AdventWord #Truth #真理 ‘Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.’ Psalm 85:11 ‘There are, in the Psalter, over a dozen references to emet (“truth”), and I believe they are all associated with three parts of the body: the heart, the mouth, and the feet. Take, for example, Psalm 15:1-2. Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle?who may abide upon your holy hill?Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right,who speaks the truth from his heart. I think the Psalmist is trying to tell us that our heart can be the receptacle … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Truth’ 真理

Advent Word 2023 ‘Valley’ 山谷

#AdventWord #Valley #山谷 ‘Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low…’ Isaiah 40:4 ‘Armies in valleys are vulnerable. The valleys of our lives and faith bring tenderness. We are pelted with slander from neighbors, barraged with news of war and famine, battling hunger and poverty, and oppressed by systems of injustice. We yearn for the safety of the mountains above and are reassured that God’s vision for the world contains no valleys, no places of hardship and suffering, and no inequity for God’s people. God yearns for us all to reach that mountaintop and, when … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Valley’ 山谷

Advent Word 2023 ‘Herald’ 傳報喜訊者

#AdventWord #Herald #傳報喜訊者 ‘…lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear;’ Isaiah 40:9 ‘News traveled slower in Isaiah’s time than it does today. When something out-of-the-ordinary happened, folks didn’t find out about it from a text on the group chat or a post on social media. They might have learned about it from a herald: someone who travels long distances, climbs high mountains, to share the news. Here is your God! the heralds in today’s reading joyfully cry. I wonder what will grab your attention today, sharing tidings of comfort … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Herald’ 傳報喜訊者

Advent Word 2023 ‘Glory’ 榮耀

#AdventWord #Glory #榮耀 ‘Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all the people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.’ Isaiah 40:5 ‘We offer glory to God in our prayers; it’s not as often that we hear about receiving God’s glory. Yet, we prepare to welcome God’s glory in the form of a baby. Handel dedicates a whole song in Messiah to the idea that not only will we see God’s glory, but we will see it together. Listening to the music as I pray about the baby for whom we wait, … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Glory’ 榮耀

Advent Word 2023 ‘Awake’ 警醒

#AdventWord #Awake #警醒 ‘And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ Mark 13:37 ‘The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 25: 1-13) emphasizes the importance of staying spiritually vigilant. In the parable, all the bridesmaids fall asleep; but at midnight, when the bridegroom comes, only the wise bridesmaids are prepared to receive him with oil in their lamps. On the night of December 24, Jesus arrives. Although our traditions may include preparations such as food and gifts, I do not think God is really interested in the best meal or the perfect gift. The oil that … Continue reading Advent Word 2023 ‘Awake’ 警醒